1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to camera apparatus and, more particularly, to a combination lens cover and sunshade for a camera lens.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 1,283,963 discloses a lens shield for a camera lens. The lens shield is pivotally secured to an attachment ring which fits over the lens barrel of a camera. The shield pivots over the lens and away from the lens, as desired.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,775,180 discloses a light screen for the lens of a camera. The screen comprises a pivoting element secured to the lens barrel of a camera and pivotable through an arc to protect the lens from light sources which otherwise would be directed at the lens.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,266,914 discloses a foldable sunshade which includes four rectangular or square elements, each of which is pivotally secured at right angles to the adjacent element. All of the elements may be opened, or any combination of them may be opened (pivoted away from the lens) to provide shade.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,390,931 discloses a telescoping eye piece assembly for shading the eye piece of a telescope. The apparatus includes a self-closing segmented shutter disposed within an accordion type folder member in which the accordion member is compressed, and the compression force causes the segmented shutter to open. By removing the compressing force on the accordion type folded member, the segmented shutter returns to its normally closed position, covering the lens.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,399,011 discloses another type of pivoting or hinged lens cap and sunshade. The pivoting action is accomplished by means of a spring biased element movable in a slot.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,715,149 discloses a foldable sunshade and lens cap apparatus having a tubular sunshade and a plurality of flaps disposed within the sunshade. The flaps pivot inwardly to a closed position to cover the lens, and outwardly to an open position, away from the lens. The pivoting is accomplished by a camming action against the base of the flaps by means of a threaded element, the rotation of which causes the element to move against and away from the base of the flaps. The sunshade is accordingly rotated relative to the lens, and the axial movement of the sunshade results in the pivoting action of the flaps.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,942,864 discloses a cap secured to the lens of a camera by a threaded connection and a pivotable lens cover. The pivoting movement of the cover is accomplished by the rotation of the cap relative to the camera lens. The rotary movement results in a camming action which causes the lens cap to pivot toward and away from the lens.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,045,117 discloses a combination lens cap and lens shade which includes a plurality of movable flaps, each of which includes a folded engagement with an adjacent flap. The opening of the folded flaps to the full open position allows the use of the apparatus as a sunshade, and the inward or folding of the flaps results in a lens cover. A second embodiment replaces the folding action by mechanical linkage for the pivoting action of the flaps. In both embodiments, the flaps overlie each other and have a predetermined folding order which results in the sequential movement of the flaps, both open and closed.
In the '117 patent, the maximum movement of the flaps comprises a ninety degree movement to define the opening for the lens. In the '149 patent, the sunshade is fixed relative to the lens and it accordingly does not move or fold against the lens, but rather requires a second lens cap element which acts in conjunction with the rotation of the sunshade. The '931 patent similarly requires two elements for the opening and closing of the sunshade and lens covering. However, the purpose of the apparatus is substantially different from providing a cover and a shade for a lens. Rather, the purpose of the apparatus of the '931 patent is to limit the amount of external light which may impinge on the objective lens of an eyepiece. Two elements are used to accomplish this. The user must provide a positive engagement with the external element in order to maintain the internal element in an open, usable condition. When the external force is removed from the outer element, the internal, cover element, automatically closes.
The other patents described above comprise different types of straight pivoting action of a single element or, as in the '914 patent, a plurality of elements, which moves from a full open position to a full closed position. The apparatus generally comprises lens covers which move by various types of mechanical linkage to move between two fixed positions, from closed to open, and vice-versa.
None of the apparatus of the prior art discloses a combination lens cap and sunshade which may move through an arc or distance of greater than ninety degrees, or less than ninety degrees, as desired. The apparatus of the present invention comprises a relatively simple, inexpensive apparatus which pivots in response to a rotary movement from a closed lens cover position to a fully open lens shade position. The elements of the cover may pivot through an arcuate distance of greater than ninety degrees.